BACKGROUND: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease may have nutritional deficiencies. AIM: To verify the adequacy of dietary intake of patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. METHODS: To assess food intake of 55 patients, 28 with Crohn's disease and 27 with ulcerative colitis treated in the gastroenterology clinic, was used the 24-Hour Food Recall and Food Frequency Questionnaire. The inflammatory activity of the disease was evaluated by serum C-reactive protein and Harvey and Bradshaw Index. For comparison of means t test was used, and the average on non-parametric, the Mann-Whitney test, with level of significance p <0.05. RESULTS: The patients were aged between 19 and 63 years and time since diagnosis was 7.9 years (1 to 22). According to the food intake was identified deficiency in energy intake, fiber, iron, potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, menadione, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, tocopherol and cholecalciferol in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, active or in remission. The intake of vegetables, fruits, dairy products and beans were low, and intake of fats and sweets was higher than the recommendations. CONCLUSION: There was a deficiency in food intake both in Crohn's disease and in ulcerative colitis, in activity and in remission. These deficiencies can adversely affect the disease course, and justify the need for nutritional intervention with these patients.